Shoulder-pad attachment for musical instruments



July 23, 1929. w. A. MEYERS 1,721,919

SHOULDER PAD ATTACHMENT FOR IUSICAL INSTRUIBNTS Filed Oct. 12, 1925 wzm- Patented July 23, 1929.

UNITED STATES A 1,721,919 PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM A. MEYERS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WILLIAM LEWIS & SON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

SHOULDER-PAD ATTACHMENT FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Application filed October 12, 1925.

My invention relates to a simple, inexpensive and effective form of shoulder pad for musical instruments, particularly violins, one which may be quickly and conven- 6 iently connected to or removed from the instrument, and one which may be readily adjusted to any position desired by the user to best suit his individual wishes.

A further object of my invention is to provide a shoulder pad which will have a minimum cont-act with the violin to prevent muting thereof during playing.

A still further object of my invention is to provide the pad of compressible, resilient material, such as sponge rubber, which will quickly assume a different configuration or outline to adjust itself to the contour of the shoulder against which it is placed, thereby eliminating any likelihood of any discomfort to the musician and also insuring against slipping of the instrument.

In order to apprise those in the art how to practice and construct my invention, I shall now describe a convenient embodiment thereof in connection with the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof.

n the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a violin which embodies the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an inverted sectional detail view taken along line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Fig. 3 is a similar inverted sectional view, but taken on line 33 of Figure 1;

Fig. 4 is a view of the rear face of the shoulder pad; and

Fig. 5 is a modified form of the supporting portion of the device.

eferring more particularly to the drawings wherein a convenient embodiment of the invention is illustrated, the violin 1 is shown provided with a chin rest 2 of ordinary construction which is secured in position by means of the usual clamping device, which comprises the lower threaded screw shanks 3 adjustably connected with the upper threaded screw shanks 4 by means of the turn buckles 5. The lower threaded screw shanks 3 are preferably of U formation with the interconnecting part 6. The shoulder pad forming the subject matter of this invention comprises a base plate 7, which may be suitably secured to the instrument, but which is preferably held in place by insertion under the fiat portion 6 of the chin rest Serial No. 62,146.

clamping device. The middle portion of plate 7 is furnished with an upstanding shoulder 7 to prevent displacement thereof from under the portion 6 of the chin rest clamping device.

The body of plate 7 is arcuate so that it follows the contour of the edge of the violin, while a lug 8 extends centrally inwardly to receive a pivotally mounted clamping arm 10. As indicated at 9 in Fig. 2, any suitable form of pivoted connection may be provided for clamp arm 10.

Certain types of chin rests are secured centrally to the instrument, that is directly over the tail piece of the instrument. In this case a plate of the form shown at 7 in Fig. 5 may be employed, wherein the lug 8 is formed at one end of the plate so as to be disposed to one side of the instrument when the plate is clamped in position with this other type of chin rest.

The shoulder pad which I contemplate employing is designated 12 and is adapted to be attached to the arm 10. Shoulder pad 12 comprises a soft, flexible portion 13, which is provided with a concave under-surface 14 and is thicker at the edge which contacts with the outer portion of the shoulder of the user in order to better engage with and fit against the shoulder of the musician. This compressible, resilient portion 13 is made preferably of soft or sponge rubber, but it may be made of any suitable material which will have equal qualities for affording a yielding but substantial grip when pressed against the shoulder.

The rear face of pad 12 is provided with a ridge or raised portion designated 15, which is also made preferably of rubber, but which is notas soft as the portion 13. The portions 13 and 15 are preferably united as by vulcanizing. A slot 16 is cut longitudinally through the portion 15. Slot 16 opens into a second slot 17, which is in the form of a channel, and which may be opened along the slot 16 by pressing the ends a and b of the pad downwardly toward each other, as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig 3. Being resilient, the pad after thus being distorted will, upon release, return to its normal position as shown in full lines, thereby closing the edges 18 and 19 of the slot over the clamping arm, thereby holding the pad securely upon the latter.

By virtue of the pad being made of rubber,

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it will firmly grip the arm 10 and hold itself thereon at any position lengthwise along the arm. The gripping of said arm by the pad is not so firm but that it may be overcome by manual force applied to the pad, thereby permitting ready longitudinal adjustment of the pad to any position desired along the bar. The portion 15 is of smaller cross sectional dimension than the pad 12, so as to reduce to a minimum the area of contact of the pad with the instrument, thus reducing when the violin is played the muting effect of the pad on the violin. Besides being longitudinally adjustable along the arm, the shouder pad may be moved laterally by moving the clamping arm 10 about its pivotal connection 9. The contact of the portion 15 of the pad with the surface of the instrument will'serve to holdthe pad securely in place. Plate 8 is turned outwardly slightly at 21 to hold the clamping arm extended from the back of the violin. However, in order to prevent the clamping arm 10 from scratching or marring the surface of the violin when the shoulder pad is removed, said arm is provided with a thin covering or sleeve 20 of leather or other non-abrasive material. The-end of the portion 15 of-the pad adjacent the pivot 9 is cut away as at 22 so as to afford clearance for said pivot and the adjoining parts of the supporting frame, thereby permitting the pad to be slid to a position directly over said pivot in order to protect the player against contact with said pivot parts and adjacent portions of the chin rest frame. 7

I wish to emphasize the novel method employed'to mount the shoulder pad. It tends to simplify the construction of the clamping device as well as facilitates its application to and its removal from the clamping device. The thumb and forefinger may be used to grip the ends a and b whereby to press them toward each other, so that the edges 18 and 19 separate and permit application to and removal from the clamping arm 10. It provides minimum contact with the violin to prevent muting and also allows quick adjustment of the pad along the clamping device, as well aslaterally, on the violin, to a position best suited to each individual, thus permitting the instrument to be securely held between the chin and shoulder of the player so that the fingering arm will be free to perform its work.

From the foregoing description, it will 'be apparent that I have provided a simple, efficient and inexpensive shoulder pad for use with a violin and that while I have described in detail the various features thereof, it is "possible to vary. these details without departchannel and held substantially immovable thereon by the clamping action resulting from the resilience of said material.

2. A shoulder rest for stringed musical instruments comprising in combination, a pivotally mounted flat metallic bar, means for attaching said bar to said instrument, and a pad of resilient material slidably mounted on said bar, by means of a slot in said pad.

8. A shoulder rest for violins comprising a clamp to be removably attached to a violin, a substantially flat arm pivotally connected to said clamp, and a substantially solid pad of resilient material having an open slot therein, said arm engaging in said slot, said pad being retained on said arm by the clamping action resulting from the resilience of said material.

4. A shoulder rest for violins comprising a clamp to be removably attached to a violin, a substantially flat arm pivotally connected to said clamp, and a substantially solid pad of rubber having an open slot therein, said arm engaging in said slot, said pad being retained on said arm by the clamping action resulting from the resilience of said rubber.

5. A shoulder rest for violins comprising a clamp to be removably attached to a violin, a

substantially fiat arm pivotally connected to said clamp, and a sustantially solid pad of rubber having an open slot therein, said slot communicating with a longitudinally disposed channel running in the same direction as the slot, said arm engaging in said slot,

said pad being retained on said arm by the clamping action resulting from the resilience of said rubber.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto scribed my name.

WILLIAM A. MEYERS.

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